


Falling

by Nyctolovian



Series: Voltron Hurt/Comfort Bingo 2018 [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Blood and Violence, Broken Bones, Falling from A Height, Fights, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Langst, Mention of blood, Near Death Experience, Violence, depends on how u see it, or it could also be
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-09 20:43:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16456877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyctolovian/pseuds/Nyctolovian
Summary: One small mistake, and Lance was falling to his death.





	Falling

**Author's Note:**

> Bingo Card: [Hurt/Comfort](https://nyctolovian.tumblr.com/post/179573887483/near-death-experience-lance)  
> Prompt: Near Death Experience
> 
> I'm so not creative lollllll! Anyway, this is for the Voltron Bingo again! This time it was requested by moonlight-sky on tumblr (and YAS i dun need to decide on the prompt or characters this time so my indecisive ass suffered a lil less hahahahaha) so thanks a lot yey! 
> 
> Also, I havent done this for a while but I was listening to this song while writing this fic: [アイアルの勘違い](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBSAKdPR7B4)
> 
> WARNING: There'll be descriptions of the broken bones and a lil bit of mention of blood. I didn't feel it was too graphic so I didn't put a major warning but if anyone is uncomfortable with this, do tell me immediately and I'll have it rectified asap!

Lance had only his carelessness to blame. He had been so intent on protecting his teammates from his position on the roof that he didn’t hear the sound of someone approaching him from behind. If he hadn’t noticed the galra druid in time, he probably would have ended up with something more fatal than the wound in his shoulder.

He panted heavily, levelling the druid with his bayard, which had been swiftly transformed from a sniper rifle to a laser rifle. Lance shot at the druid. But they were too quick. The druid whisked through the air, teleporting unpredictably, firing bolts at him unexpectedly. He could only dodge.

The druid dealt another blow to his shoulder again and he cried in pain. It stung like hell.

He raised his rifle to shoot again. Adrenaline was the only thing keeping the pain out of his mind.

But Lance could barely keep his footing. He changed his weapon to a broadsword when the druid rushed at him. He deflected the blow and swung at the druid. He managed to nick at the druid’s arm. His shoulder was throbbing painfully right after.

“Guys! I need backup!” he yelled, still trying to get another strike at the druid. “I have a druid!”

“On it!” Pidge replied.

There was a dull thud of her grapple on the roof beside Lance and the swish of a zipline. Lightly, Pidge landed next to him. She snapped to action, charging at the druid.

The druid dodged and Pidge swung at the air. Lance changed to using a laser rifle, shooting at the druid.

As Pidge shot her bayard at them, they teleported right before Lance. He yelped as he tried to change into a broadsword again.

He was too late.

The druid dealt a direct blast to his chest. Lance choked on the impact and stumbled backwards.

His feet slipped over the sloped roof. His feet found thin air. Suddenly, Lance was falling.

It was like in the movies — the slo-mo as death neared.

Lance caught a glimpse of Allura as she clambered up the roof, her hand flying to her mouth as she caught sight of him falling. He also heard Pidge’s scream as she reached for him. The windows whooshed by his line of sight one by one as he plummeted from the sky.

He hit the ground, leg first. He felt himself crumple forward.

Then, he was lying on his belly, dazed. His head was pounding and his heart was racing. There was a dull ache in his lower body and his right arm, which he was lying on.

Through the ringing in his ears, he could hear Hunk calling his name. The sounds of battle grew more intense as he lay on the ground, breathing rapidly.

He had to get back in the fight. The team needed him.

Coughing lightly, he tried to push himself up but when he tried to move his right arm, he felt the grating sensation of bones and heard some grinding noises.

_What?_

Confused, he fumbled with his left arm. After pushing himself up slightly, a wave of nausea hit him and pain spiked at his hip. He collapsed again. Lance bit his lip to stop himself from gagging. He swallowed weakly to fight the urge to vomit.

Lance probably wasn’t thinking straight at that point; he looked down. His stomach did a flip but he could not tear his eyes away. His legs were twisted grotesquely, like those of a rag doll. Against all common sense, he tried moving one of them. He felt his bones touch the insides of his shin and winced. But he couldn’t feel any pain. Yet.

As time passed in the form of fragmented thoughts, he lay there, just staring.

_Broken? ... head dizzy... were his legs? … Wet shoulders? … Ah. Blood. … can’t move legs… no pain? … serves as a cast maybe… wound from druid…. because of adrenaline?_

_Hunk?_

“Lance!”

Finally, he was looking at something other than red.

“Oh my god,” Hunk breathed as he crouched beside Lance. “We’re getting you out of here. You’re going to be fine, okay?” He gently tried to pick Lance up.

It was then that pain crashed into his body like a massive truck. Lance let out a scream as his legs and right arm burned. As if he was torched with a flamethrower.

Instantly, Hunk released his hold on him.

But it was as if a switch had been flipped. Shallow breaths were all Lance could manage in his agony. The intense pain flared up in his limbs. He was vaguely aware that he was drooling onto the ground while he gasped for air.

_Please, please, someone take away the pain, please, please, please._

He could only feel the pain. The burning, excruciating pain.

In the back of his mind, he heard more yelling. The voices sounded familiar. But he couldn’t register a word they were saying.

“Breathe, Lance,” Allura’s calming voice came. “Where is the pain?”

Lance swallowed down the urge to reply, “Everything,” and breathed, “Legs. Right arm.” In an afterthought, he added, “Head too. A bit.”

“Alright. We need to carry you back to the castle,” Allura said. “Brace yourself. It will hurt a lot to move.”

Someone jostled him and he heard the shouts get louder.

He couldn’t tell if the screaming was his or the others anymore.

His eyes rolled back as he gasped for breath. He was being moved. Every fraction of a jostle meant intense pain in his body. He wanted to pull away. However, when he did, the pain ignited like an explosion and he would flop back down, grunting.

He had no concept of time at this point. Everything was distorted.

All he knew was _pain, pain, pain._

He managed to open his eyes by a fraction. Through his tears, he saw significantly less purple. He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw when someone bumped against his arm.

There were a string of apologetic noises that followed. Lance couldn’t tell what exactly it was saying.

Finally, the movements stopped. It was a momentary relief.

He whimpered as he tried hard not to move any further. “Pain…” he whispered.

“Lance, we’re in the lion now,” Hunk’s voice came in. “We’re going back. Hang in there, please.”

“Huh,” Lance breathed, opening his eyes again. He looked up at the big yellow-clad buddy of his, who was now piloting Yellow. Lance felt the moment they took off. He hissed at the pain caused by the slight jump.

“We’re getting there soon. Please, Lance,” Hunk said. “Please stay with me.”

The pain was minutely less. Only minutely. And he was starting to feel the slight cold in his body. He was beginning to shiver. There was still the searing sensation of his wounds but the tips of his fingers and toes felt like they were tingling with cold.

Tentatively, Hunk glanced back and visibly bit back a swear. “Oh geez. I think you have internal bleeding too,” he whispered.

Following his best friend’s gaze, Lance peered down again. His legs were wrapped against pieces of wood. His sense of time must have been completely out of whack if they had enough time to tie his fractured limbs to a support. His right arm was tied against the side of his body. It was coming from his left leg. His right leg didn’t seem to be bleeding, only wildly distorted.

He lifted his left hand shakily. His fingertips were turning blue. He pressed his fingers together and let go. No colour returned to it.

Lance let his left arm flop down heavily and looked in fascination at his injured limbs. He eyed his shoulder. It was slowly oozing with blood, soaking the paladin armour at the shoulder. Something about his current situation told Lance that the slow flow of blood was because there simply wasn't enough that could be spilled at this point.

He sighed.

So, this was what it felt like to be faced with your very fragile mortality.

This time, he was able to tear his gaze away from his wounds and look at the back of Hunk’s head. His best best friend. Not just in the Garrison but in his entire life. That one he can say for sure now. There were a million things he wanted to say to the big guy but it felt like time was slipping away.

“I’m sorry.”

Somehow, that was the first intelligible thing he said. Despite the millions and millions of things he was feeling, an apology felt most important.

“Lance, please don’t apologise like that,” Hunk replied after a moment’s hesitation. “You’re going to be fine.”

“I’m really sorry though…” Lance muttered. What was he apologetic about? He frowned. He scoured through his memory for a reason for that sinking feeling in his belly. “You know, that time, I was the one who clogged your toilet with the food goo. So I’m sorry about that, I guess.”

“Stop that!” Hunk yelled. “Lance! You are banned from talking like a dying person!”

“I am thou—”

“You are not allowed to die! Not on my watch! Please, Lance!” Hunk’s voice cracked. “Please.”

Lance sighed. He winced again when Yellow bumped. Hunk seemed to mutter an apology but they continued on without a word after that. “Hey, Hunk, what will you do when you get back to Earth?”

“Huh? Uh, find my family?” Hunk stuttered out. “That’s the most important. The first thing I’d do.”

“Help me tell my family I love them.”

“Lance!” Hunk sounded angry now. “What did I say about—”

“Shut up!” There was a long terrible silence as Lance’s words sunk in. “Ah, fudge balls. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that. Head’s… not good right now. Please, Hunk. Please let me say it. I don’t want to die without… saying what I want to, you know?”

Chewing his lip, Hunk turned to look at Lance. His face scrunched up in agony before he nodded reluctantly.

“Help me tell them I didn’t regret coming out here but I really missed them. I wanted to eat Mama’s garlic knots again but…” He trailed off. “Oh, and wish them happy birthday for all the birthdays I missed. I feel like I missed a lot. Tell them I wanted to celebrate my eighteenth birthday with them a lot so I’m sorry I couldn’t.”

“Yeah,” Hunk replied, voice thick, “I’ll do that for you. But you’re going to make it, alright?”

Lance wanted to disagree. He really could feel his energy slipping away, and his eyelids drooping downwards. He wasn’t that optimistic. “Oh frick. I’ve got so much to say. I don’t know what to say first.” He chuckled weakly. “Uh… Um, Hunk, you are really really the best dude I know. And I know you’re, like, in love with Shay. You’re always going on and on about how nice she is and how you don’t deserve and stuff but, dude, you’re, like, Hunk, you know? You’re a real catch. And you’re like, the literal best.”

_When did his eyelids close?_

“You know, Lance, you’re the best too.”

“Tell Pidge she’s like the little sister I never had. I kind of understand why Veronica keeps calling me a pain in the ass. And tell Pidge she’s…” Lance felt tears prick the back of his eyes now. “I don’t have enough time. I’ve got so much to say. I—”

“No! You have time! We’re not letting you die here! And look! We’re here! We’re here!” Hunk shouted.

The lion landed. Pain shot through his arm and legs once again at the jerking motion.

There was a lot of noise as the door opened.

Lance felt himself slipping now.

“We’re getting you to the surgical room now,” Hunk said. “Hang in there, please.”

The last thing Lance felt was the sharp burn, as though heated iron was pressed against the insides of his flesh.

Then, as the pain reignited, his world faded to black.

**Author's Note:**

> So depending on what you think, Lance may or may not have died? He could have just blacked out? Who knows? (I know the prompt is near death but i dun rly know how to ALMOST kill someone in fact I had to ask sb for a way to almost kill someone cos all I could think of was Lance getting shot through the heart which is like,,,, certain death, my dude)
> 
> Also, i was so conflicted because I was like "BROKEN BONES! OPEN WOUND! SPILL HIS BLOOD!" like some kid from lord of the flies or smth but then i realised Lance was probably wearing a paladin armour, which would firstly hide most of the blood. So i reluctantly struck out the bloody parts. Then, I realised the armour will probably act as a good enough support for Lance's limbs which would make an open fracture difficult. So I had to erase an open fracture altogether. So now we've only got intense internal bleeding. Then i remembered that the druid struck Lance so at least there is _that_ bit of blood...
> 
> Once again! Drop some kudos or leave me a beautiful comment! My tumblr is [here](https://nyctolovian.tumblr.com/) so anything please come talk to me lollll! My ask is open for requests (esp from the bingo card) so do drop by! If not, come bother me with feedback cos i live for it :")


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